Out Of the Woods
by Just-like-me
Summary: Harry and Hermione are doing a little late-night school work, when a sudden accident occurs...read to find out what! Notice the Censory change, ppl! (this is just in case)
1. Out of the Woods

Disclaimer: don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic... another one-shot! Hope you like!

Out of the Woods

Hermione stared at the dark haired-boy sitting across from her. His glasses bobbed as he rubbed his eyes in fatigue.

"Exhausted?" she asked in her most thoughtful and kind voice.

"Yes, just a little bit," he mumbled.

"Go on up to bed, I'll finish your home work for you," she smiled, taking his roll of parchment away from him.

I wish you out of the woods

and into the picture with me.

I wish you over the moon,

come out of the question and be.

If this is going to

run round in my head

I might as well be dreaming,

run round in my head.

"Are you sure, Hermione?" he asked, looking at her with unfeigned surprise.

"Yes," she replied with a soft smile. "Go get some sleep, Harry."

"No, I'll stay with you 'til you're done, I'll just sit at the table here with you..." he slowed, his head nodding.

"Please, Harry, you can go upstairs. It's alright."

"Alright," he relented, picking himself up slowly.

"G'night, Harry."

I roller coaster for you,

time out of mind

must be heavenly.

It's all enchanted and wild,

it's just like my heart said

it was gonna be.

If this is going to

run round in my head

I might as well be dreaming,

run round in my head.

"G'night, Hermione," he whispered, kissing at her cheek, but instead landing on her lips as he stumbled forward in his drowsiness.

They stayed that way, Hermione sitting, Harry slumped over into the kiss, as seconds dragged by.

"Sorry," Harry said when he finally pulled away. Suddenly he was slightly more alert, and a deep flush covered his cheeks as he stared down at her.

If this is going to

run round in my head

I might as well be dreaming,

run round in my head.

Hermione stood, her fingers barely touching her lips, and went over to the fire place. She turned back to Harry, after a moment of reflection in the fire, building her courage for what she was about to do...

She kissed him full on the lips, her hand touching his cheek in a soft caress. But he didn't pull away as she had feared he might. In fact, he leaned into her, his body pushed completely against hers, kissing her back, almost passionately.

I wish you out of the woods

and into the picture with me.

I wish you over the moon,

come out of the question and be.

If this is going to

run round in my head

I might as well be dreaming,

run round in my head.

Finally, they parted again, slowly, and stared into each other's eyes.

"Good night," Harry finally said, breaking the silence.

"Good night," Hermione whispered, pulling her hand away.

They kissed once more, a small gentle kiss, and then Harry turned and went up to his dormitory, Hermione following suit to hers, leaving all of their work on the table as it was.

After all, she kind of wanted proof that this had actually, finally happened for her.

If this is going to

run round in my head

I might as well be dreaming,

run round in my head.

Okay, well, the end... got a lil' steamy there didn't it? Oh yeah, it did! But I got more motivation for a one-shot, and felt I should do it, just for fun!!! Besides, this is how I imagine it happening (if it ever does) in the book!!! (at least I hope! Except, maybe there won't be any music either... oh well!) Well, review, review, review! and THANK YOU!!!


	2. What's Wrong with Ron?

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic! It's a continuation of 'Out of the Woods'!! Hope you like!

Chapter 2: What's Wrong with Ron?

Hermione woke the next morning, happier than she'd been in quite a while. The monotony of everyday would no longer plague her school life- she had Harry to look forward to.

She rose, showered, and dressed in a pair of jeans, and a tank top, her 'muggle' clothes. Since it was a weekend, she, Harry, and Ron would spend the morning and part of the afternoon out by the lake doing homework together.

"I hate my hair," she sighed, trying to squash down her frizzy hair. Finally she mumbled, "_Flatterious silik_," and her hair smoothed out. She smiled in triumph, and left the bathroom.

Downstairs in the common room, Harry and Ron sat, discussing their home work from Snape, "The 100 best uses of a Draught Potion."

"A good one would be, 'To use on you,'" Harry sighed, shaking his head.

They looked up as she entered. Ron stood immediately, picking up his backpack.

"What took you so long, 'mione? I'm _starved_," he complained. "Let's go."

For a second, Hermione froze, and wondered if she had dreamed the entire episode last night. The table was completely cleared off, her books and parchment put into her now-closed book bag. Her face fell, and she felt foolish for smoothing out her hair, when it had apparently only been a dream...

But Harry was smiling at her, the same smile that he had had after he had kissed her the night before. And she knew, yes, she knew that it had happened, and she smiled largely, very grateful that she hadn't just dreamed such a wonderful thing.

She walked over to her bag, and picked it up. That's when she heard Harry barely whisper, "I hope you don't mind, but I cleaned it up earlier, before I woke Ron up."

"It's no problem, thank you," she whispered in reply, smiling.

"Let's GO!" Ron said angrily, standing at the portrait hole. "_Please_?"

"Alright, alright!" Hermione said, laughing. "Let's go, then, and get poor, starving little Ronnie some food."

Ron huffed and walked out, not waiting up for the two of them, who walked at a slower pace behind him. Harry immediately took her hand in his own, and gave her a small, but welcomed peck on the cheek. They exited the portrait hole, and walked quietly toward the Great Hall, blushing as people around them began to whisper, and not very quietly either. But Harry tried to block out the whispers by making small conversation with Hermione.

"I love your hair today."

"Thank you," Hermione smiled. "The frizz was driving me crazy."

"I need to get some of that gel, my hair makes me insane," Harry said in reply, absent-mindedly patting at his messy hair.

"Actually, I used a spell, but I wouldn't want you to change a thing, I like your hair. It's very kinky, it makes you look very sweet," Hermione flushed.

There, she'd finally said it. It had been on her mind since their First year, when they'd met on the train. In fact, if she hadn't felt like he'd have rejected her, she might've told him so a lot sooner.

They walked into the Great Hall, feeling as though all eyes were on them. They sat across the table from Ron, who was scarfing food like there was no tomorrow. Quietly, they began to eat, taking glances at each other as they did so.

But it didn't take long for their day to turn sour. Malfoy sauntered over, his head stuck up.

"Potty boy, Mud-Blood, I've heard some pretty interesting things from Pansy..." he started, a sickening smile on his face.

"She finally got that pug-face fixed?" Hermione hissed. "And now you can kiss her without throwing up?"

"Actually," he continued, ignoring her nasty comments, "I hear you two are the ones being kissy-kissy."

At this he made a retching noise, and Ron's head snapped up, to look at Harry and Hermione.

"Go shove it, Malfoy," Harry glared, trying to bore holes into him with his eyes.

"Oh, I'm sure you and Granger here will be doing plenty of that together from now on," Draco cackled banshee-like before walking away.

"What an asshole, " Hermione sighed, looking back down at her food.

"You-you two... you're dating?" Ron asked in disbelief.

"Uhm, well... yes," Harry stuttered. "We thought you'd noticed already..."

"How long has this been going on?" Ron was becoming increasingly angry for some reason, his voice rising.

"It just... well, last night, we kind of... well it was an accident at first..." Hermione struggled to put it into words.

"And were you going to think about telling ME?" Ron almost yelled. "I mean, did it even begin to occur to you that I MIGHT WANT TO KNOW?"

"Ron, calm down," Harry said as calm as possible, considering that everyone in the Great Hall, teachers included, were staring in their direction. "I told you, we thought you knew."

"Yes, why are you over-reacting this way?" Hermione asked, perplexed.

"Nothing, never mind," Ron glowered angrily. "I'm going back to the dorm room, I don't feel like studying now."

He picked up his bag, the food disappearing off of the plate where he sat. Then he walked quickly from the Great Hall.

Harry and Hermione sat in silence, wondering what could be wrong with their best friend. They finished eating, and then walked out to the lake, deciding to leave Ron alone and let him come around in his own time, and hoping that it would be sooner than later.

Okay, I had a suggestion to keep the story going, so I thought I'd try another Chapter... If it doesn't get good response, I might just delete it, and leave it as just one chapter... Review, lemme know!!! Read my other stories too!!! Oh, and Tennyo's too!!! She'd be very appreciative, as much as ME!!!


	3. Jealousy Strikes in Surprising Places

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic!!! Chapter 3 of Out of the Woods!!! Hope you like!!!

Chapter 3: Jealousy Strikes in Surprising Places

"What do you think's going on with him?" Harry asked thirty minutes later, as they concentrated on Snape's homework.

"Ron? I dunno, but it's really weird..." Hermione faded off, staring out onto the lake.

"Yeah, it really is. I mean, what do we say to him?" Harry added.

"What do we need to say to him? I don't think he has the right to be so upset by nothing," Hermione said, turning back to her book.

"Yes, but still... I mean, this is apparently bothering him, we need to say something," Harry sighed, writing down an answer.

"We'll finish our homework, then take him the answers, and talk to him," Hermione shrugged.

"Alright," Harry nodded in agreement, and they turned back to their work.

They finished about two in the afternoon, after taking a small break for lunch. Then they headed back up to their common room, and Harry went up to get Ron from their dorm room.

He came down a few minutes later, without Ron behind him.

"He didn't want to come down," Harry sighed, sitting at the table with Hermione.

She stood up and walked toward the stairs, and turned to Harry.

"Be right back," she said glumly. She walked up the stairs to the boys' dorm room, and entered the one she knew to be the Seventh years'.

"Ron?" she asked, peaking through the curtains of his bead. "Ron, what's the matter?"

"Go away, Hermione," Ron replied nastily. "You don't care, so go away!"

"Ron, if I didn't care, trust me, I wouldn't ask," Hermione said comfortingly, sitting on the bed, next to Ron who was sprawled onto his stomach, his face pointing in the direction away from her.

She patted and rubbed his back gently, offering him words of comfort. Finally, he spoke.

"I should be happy for the two of you, but please forgive me if I'm not. I just feel, and felt like, that if you two have each other, you won't need me."

Hermione was taken aback, and for a moment, didn't know what to say to make him feel better. Then she replied, with a tear-filled voice-

"Ron, I'm so sorry. We certainly didn't mean to make you feel that way! Oh, Ron, if you'd just told us that!" she cried, hugging him, as he turned and sat up. "Oh, I'm so sorry, and I'm sure Harry is, too!"

"I'm sorry, too," Ron said, tears falling down his freckled face. "I'm sorry, I should've been so happy for you two... I, I am..."

"Shh, it's alright Ron, it's alright," Hermione whispered, still sobbing, as she rocked back and forth with him in her arms.

Her voice faltered, and they sat in relative silence for a few minutes. Then she released him from her hug, and they wiped their eyes. They headed down to the common room, where Harry sat, looking toward the door for them.

He smiled as they entered, and rose to greet them.

"Ron," he said, hugging him as a person might hug their own brother or sister. "Ron, I'm sorry. Are you better now?"

"Yes, fine," Ron sighed weakly. "I'm fine. Thanks to 'mione."

He pointed back to her, where she stood propped against the doorframe.

"Hermione, thank you," Harry smiled, walking over to hug and kiss her. "I don't know what we'd do without you, especially me."

"I'm just glad that we're all friends again, because I believe Ron's got some homework to copy tomorrow..." Hermione smiled broadly, keeping one arm wrapped around Harry's waist. She stood on her toes to kiss him again, and then walked up to Ron and gave him a friendly kiss on the cheek.

"Now, I believe it would be time for supper in the Great Hall, let's go!" Ron blushed, turning to the portrait hole. "Don't take all day you two."

He turned and left them to their privacy.

'So, he's learning to accept us," Hermione nodded. 'Good...'

Okay, the end!!! for now, 'least ways... feed back welcome as always!!! Review, review, please review?! Thankies!


	4. What the Hades is GOING ON!

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic!!! Chapter 4 of Out of the Woods!!! Hope you like!!!

Chapter 4: What the Hades is GOING ON?

Hermione sat at the table in the common room, finishing up the last of her Arithmancy. It was very late into the night on Sunday, and Ron and Harry she'd just sent up to bed. They'd both fallen asleep at the table, so she'd woken them and helped drag them upstairs into their beds. Then she came back downstairs to finish.

Suddenly she heard a scratching at the portrait hole. There was no way for her to see who it was without opening the door, but she was afraid to do so. So she quietly snuck into Harry and Ron's dorm, sifting through Harry's trunk. She found the Invisibility Cloak and put it around herself, leaving the Dorm room.

Back in the common room, the scratching noise continued. Hermione stood at the door, and pushed it open, making sure the cloak was wrapped around her securely. The door swung open, and there, a startled Draco stood, staring through her.

"I didn't really think _tickling_ her would make her open up..." he faded out, stepping through the portrait hole. He was an inch away from Hermione, and she was sure that he would be able to hear her breathing, but he did not. He just looked around the common room to see if the coast was clear before stepping farther inside.

Sure that he was getting away with whatever he was thinking about doing, he sauntered over to the table where Hermione's books lay. He opened her notebook and sifted through her class work. Then, apparently bored, he wandered to the fire place and looked into it for a second before turning to look out the window.

'What's he _up_ to?' Hermione asked herself, sitting on a squashy chair to keep him from accidentally bumping into her and freaking him out. Finally bored with him continuing to stare out the window, she stood and went to her dormitory after casting a quiet spell to keep him out of both dorms. She knew there was no reason for her to do so for her dorm, but better safe than sorry, she thought. She decided she could give Harry his cloak back the next day, but then thought better of it. She turned with her arm full of her night clothes back toward the boys' dorm.

Reaching their dorm as quietly as possible, because Draco was still sitting at the window, she dressed in her soft silk nightgown in the boys' bathroom. She noticed for the dozenth time that the area around her bosom was tighter than ever, as it had recently began to become since her breasts finally had chosen to grow into soft, vivacious curves. She loosened the material with a soft-spoken spell, and then put the cloak back into Harry's trunk.

She climbed softly into bed next to Harry, being careful not to wake him. She knew full-well what it would mean to be found laying in the same bed as Harry, but was too tired to care. She also knew that she couldn't let Draco see her leaving the boys' dorm rooms in the middle of the night, for fear of the story he would spread.

So she pulled the heavy, crimson-velvet curtains closed, and pulled the soft comforter up to her chin, and tucked it in around Harry securely. Then she turned her back to him, pulling herself into the fetal position to sleep.

She was asleep within seconds, glad to have Harry laying next to her to give her peace of mind.

_First time I saw you,_

_you were chasin' down_

_a cyclone all alone_

_in the field._

_Railyards and clovers_

_are kept rollin' on._

_Never thought_

_I would_

_wind up_

_chasin' you._

_Settle down._

_I won't hesitate to_

_hit the highway_

_before you lay_

_me to waste, no._

_Saddle up_

_and I'll _

_help you find_

_somethin' to drive_

_before you drive_

_me insane, yeah._

_You're tired_

_of walkin'_

_and you_

_loathe the ground._

_The sidewalk_

_will barely_

_touch your_

_feet._

_Life moves _

_too slowly_

_to hold you down_

_Let's wring your hands_

_I'll take it out_

_on you..._

_Settle down._

_I won't hesitate to_

_hit the highway_

_before you lay_

_me to waste, no._

_Saddle up_

_and I'll _

_help you find_

_somethin' to drive_

_before you drive me insane..._

_So get yourself a car_

_and drive it all alone._

_Get yourself a car_

_ride it on the wind, yeah,_

_get yourself a car_

_and drive it all alone._

_Get yourself a car_

_ride it on the wind, yeah..._

_Settle down._

_I won't hesitate to_

_hit the highway_

_before you lay_

_me to waste, no._

_Saddle up_

_and I'll _

_help you find_

_somethin' to drive_

_before you drive_

_me insane._

_So get yourself a car,_

_and drive it all alone._

_Get yourself a car_

_and ride it on the wind, yeah._

_So get yourself a car,_

_and drive it all alone._

_Get yourself a car_

_and ride it on the wind._

_yeah..._

That was the note Hermione found the next day crammed untidily into her notebook. Well, she didn't know if it was a note or a love song, or some poor, demented freak's point of view on stalker-ism... she just knew that it had to be from Malfoy.

She had risen about an hour before Harry to check if Malfoy was gone, and he was... So she'd taken her things back to her own dorm and gotten ready for her Monday classes. She had gone downstairs to pack her things up when she'd found it.

She knew that she had her double Arithmancy before she joined Harry and Ron for double Potions. So normally they slept about an hour and a half longer. But today, Harry had wanted to join her for breakfast. And Hermione would have been very grateful of this, if she hadn't found this... this whatever it was supposed to be from Draco Malfoy stuck in her notebook. She was angry, perturbed, sick, and yet there was a new feeling, a feeling of disbelief that Malfoy would ever give her something like this...

Harry walked sleepily into the common room, and Hermione folded the note, and shoved it into her notebook. For some reason, she didn't think showing it to Harry would lead to any good. Besides, how would she be able to explain knowing that it was from Draco? She could always lie, but wasn't very good at it. So it was best to pretend that it didn't even exist as far as she was concerned.

She stood and they walked together to the Great Hall, Hermione silently praying that Draco would be nowhere around, so she wouldn't have to guiltily face him anytime too soon.

She held to Harry's hand and tried to think of nothing but him leaning in to kiss her only three days ago, for the first time...

Okay, well that's Ch. 4!!! Shocker itn't it? Heh, well, review plzs!


	5. Is this Good or Bad?

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the Fic!!! Chapter 6!

Chapter 5: Is this Good or Bad?

'What do I do now?' Hermione asked herself, walking to double Potions with Harry and Ron. They had class with Slytherins, and she would definitely be nervous around Malfoy.

She had stayed up until midnight the night before to see if he would try to come back by again. After Ron and Harry had gone to bed, she had gone back to the common room to wait. She didn't know what she would've said if he _had_ shown up, but she would have said something at least. But he hadn't, so she didn't have to worry about it quite yet.

And now, she was shaking at the prospect of seeing him. Harry held onto her hand tighter and gave her a puzzled look, but she just shook her head and smiled, trying to shake off the feeling that she was about to retch on her own robes, and maybe on Harry and Ron, too.

They entered the classroom, and sat at a table close to the back, with Seamus Finnigan, the school's Headboy. Normally, they would be partnered with Neville, but he only had Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures all year instead of Potions and Transfiguration.

Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy sat at the table in front of theirs. Pansy clung to Malfoy's arm, and kissed him fervently, so that Malfoy turned blood-red, and had to push her off of him.

He turned briefly to sneer at Harry and Hermione before turning back around haughtily. But Hermione, imagining it or not out of pure paranoia, could have sworn that he looked at her a little longer at her before turning around to Pansy's sexual assault.

Snape strode in a few moments later, his robes billowed out behind him. He stepped up to the front of the class, and called role. Then he called for homework in a hushed whisper, and the students passed them up with a bare mumble.

"Now that you have completed the homework, the instructions for a Draught Potion, and the counteractant, I have something for each of you to do. This is a group project, each team will work together: one student will make the draught potion, then take it. The other partner will have only thirty minutes to make the counteractant, or you fail, or you die. It all depends how you work together. You have both double Potion classes to do it, as it will take a good hour to brew the first potion. Instructions are on the board," he said, waving him arm. Instructions appeared on the board.

The class knew Snape well enough to know that he most likely wasn't joking about dying, although they knew they'd probably not fail if they did so. But neither of the choices were that great, so with heads bowed, they all began.

"I'll do the draught potion, since I know you can save me," Harry said to Hermione.

"Right," Hermione nodded with a smile on her face. "Then, let's begin."

They did everything they were supposed to from start to finish, Hermione giving Harry hints as he went along, such as when to add the powdered dragon liver, and when to stir the boiling mixture.

Finally, it was done, and Harry prepared to take a gulp of the glowing yellow potion.

"Somehow, drinking something that looks like urination, well, it just isn't right," he shook his head, closing his eyes.

"Wait," Hermione smiled, staying his hand.

She waved her wand and mumbled "_bella matrisse,_" a small mattress appearing on the floor beside them, big enough for Harry to lay on comfortably.

"Thank you," he said, sitting on the edge of the mattress. Hermione kneeled beside him as he drank the potion, and gave him a small kiss on the lips before he fell into a deep sleep, a smile playing on his lips.

Hermione started her stop-watch that she had been provided with at the start of the project. Then she began her counter-agent potion. She cleared out the cauldron they used, and then started anew.

Next to her, Seamus was working to wake Ron as well. In front, Crabbe was staring over a lifeless Goyle, poking him with his wand, and laughing. Draco was working studiously on his potion for Pansy, while she laid unceremoniously sprawled out on the floor. She had drunk the potion before sitting down and had fallen asleep standing, while Draco had just left her there to wake up when he gave her the potion.

Hermione looked away and worked on finishing off her counter-agent potion. She finished with ten minutes to go, and stopped her watch. Then she poured the glowing aqua contents of her cauldron into her vial, and then poured a few drops into Harry's open mouth.

Harry woke slowly, staring into Hermione's face with a fazed-out look. He looked blank, like there was nothing going on behind his eyes, in his mind. He reached out with his hand, and touched her face, meeting her at almost the same moment with a very passionate and longing kiss. Then his hand began to travel down the sides of her robe while his other hand held onto her shoulder. He kissed her again, pushing her mouth open with his tongue. His hands were now groping places that were very inappropriate for class, but Hermione didn't seem to notice or mind. She was holding just as tightly to him, pulling his hair gently in the back, mussing it up further.

Then she felt something pull her forcefully away from him, and lights flashed in her eyes when she felt her head smash rather hard into a wall, or the floor, she couldn't really tell. Her head hurt severely, and a sticky sort of liquid she thought might be blood, was covering her hand and matting down her hair.

"You," she heard Snape hissing at her, "you didn't give him enough potion! You stupid, stupid girl! He was still asleep, he was just dreaming!"

She tried to pick up her head, but felt like a ton of bricks lay on it. She opened her eyes, barely, and very heavily, and that's when she noticed Harry laying on the ground on the other side of the classroom. She vaguely noticed the rest of the class standing around with looks of horror on their faces. Professor Snape stood in between the two of them, anger distorting his face horribly.

He picked Hermione up by her hair and sat her in a hard, straight-backed chair. She heard him mumble some incantations for the wound on her head. She felt it close, and her light-headedness gradually went away.

"Draco Malfoy, take Ms. Granger here to the hospital wing to Madame Pomfrey, and inform her that she's had a slight accident, and should be checked over. As for Harry, leave him there. I'll give him the rest of your potion, but you both get a zero for the class today. I really expected you to be smarter than Potter, Ms. Granger."

Hermione, who had no strength to argue, just hung her head as Malfoy helped her to Madame Pomfrey's, leaving Harry on the floor, still asleep.

Okay, the end for now!!! I spy with my lil' eye- a blue lil' box that says 'REViEW'! so please? Please? Please?? Thanx! n.n


	6. Good and Bad

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the Fic!!! Chapter 7!

Chapter 6: Good and Bad

Hermione was hefted, unmercifully, by Malfoy onto the cot-bed in the hospital wing. Her head bumped on the bed in the process, and let out a grunt of displeasure.

"Be quiet, Granger," Malfoy hissed. "God knows this is all your fault anyway. That _revolting_ show the two of you put on today, well, I'd be very surprised if the two of you weren't expelled."

Hermione slowly opened and closed her eyes, trying very hard to keep from knocking Malfoy clear through the wall. Instead, she replied in her silkiest voice:

"Oh, shut _up_, Malfoy. Look, I know you're jealous, I understand, really I do, but for Crissake, deal with it and _move on_."

Malfoy drew back, shocked, while Hermione rubbed her temples to relieve her throbbing headache.

"Me? Jealous of you and Harry? You, a _mud-blood_, and _Harry Potter_?" he spat in a bare whisper. "I'd be more likely to be jealous of a sewer-rat, if I were a mud-blood like you."

"Well then, look in my bag, I'm sure you'll find a very familiar piece of parchment in there. One that I believe you might've put in with my things the night you snuck into the Gryffindor common room," Hermione grinned.

"You _are_ mad," Malfoy said, trying, Hermione could see, not to face-fault. "I think you hit your head harder than we all thought."

"Now, Mr. Malfoy, I believe I told you to bring Ms. Granger in here and leave," Madame Pomfrey "tsked", ushering him out of the room.

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey," he nodded. "I'll just take mine and Granger's things out with me."

Hermione shrugged, turning back to Madame Pomfrey, who was busy citing incantations and spells over Hermione's head.

An hour later, Hermione stepped out of the hospital wing, and found Harry waiting for her. He stood as she walked over to him, and handed her schoolbag to her.

"I saw Malfoy digging through it when I walked up, so I decided to rescue it for you... any reason he'd want to take pieces of parchment out of your bag?" he asked, puzzled.

"Not a clue," Hermione smiled, giving him a slight peck on the cheek, before taking his hand in hers. "I'll ask him later... say, where's Ron? I thought he might be with you."

"Oh," Harry laughed, "you know Ron, he got hungry. Said he'd meet us at supper tonight, that he was _famished_, and although he hoped that you were well, he had to get some food before he positively _starved_."

"Well, I know he hasn't exactly waited, but we'll join him anyway," Hermione giggled jokingly. "Uh, but I do have a question that I'd like to ask you before we get there."

"Shoot," Harry asked, looking out of a dark window as they passed it.

"Well, um, I dunno, I just wanted to know what-what you were, well, dreaming about, when- in, um, Potions, today," she blushed, seeming to become very interested in her shoes.

"Oh," he replied quietly, and then, "uh, why?"

"Well, I guess, you know, that I should know, since, well, we _did_ almost get expelled for it..." she faded out, continuing to stare at her shoes, while her face was heated red in a continuing blush.

"Right, if you're sure," Harry nodded, looking down at her with a small, barely noticeable, smile. "But I warn you-"

"Just tell me, before I lose my nerve," Hermione huffed, shaking.

"When I first fell asleep, I was thinking about you of course, after you'd just kissed me, and then," Harry paused, then continued, "then, I dreamed we were... well, it's better to show than tell."

He stopped, pulled her to him, and then kissed her, more passionately even than in Snape's class. Her breath held, and finally they pulled away, gasping. Hermione smiled, larger than she ever had in her life, as he clung to her passionately.

"Maybe- maybe, we should go somewhere else," she managed finally, looking up at him, "you know, if we're gonna do this..."

:Well, where do we go?" Harry asked, pulling her over to the wall, out of direct view.

"I dunno," Hermione said quietly, thinking. Maybe... no, well, maybe- yes! The Room of Requirement would be perfect."

"The Room of Requirement? What-" Hermione cut him off.

"Yes, if we need a bed, or something, and not to be caught, well, the Room of Requirement could give it to us..."

She tugged at the sleeve of his robe, pulling him after her as she hurried down the hallway. They flew quickly and quietly to the Room of Requirement, and, after looking around, they opened the door, and gasped loudly at the sight before them.

A large oak, king-sized bed sat in the middle of the room. It was dark, bu they could make out sheer hangings over the bed, crimson, that matched the comforter, blankets, and pillows on the bed. A small nightstand sat by the bed, a soft light radiating from the lamp that sat upon it.

They stepped inside, Harry closing the door behind them, and locking with not only a regular lock, but a spell-cast one as well. They moved to the bed slowly, hesitantly.

Hermione removed her shoes, and sat on the bed. Her nerves shook her so bad, she wondered whether or not she would be able to go through with this.

"_What if we're caught?_" she asked. "_I mean, it's a lot easier to ignore the consequences when Harry kisses me, but now, I'm not so sure... and I've never done anything more than hold hands and kiss anyone. This is more, it means so much more._"

Okay, this is where I end for now!!! Will they go through with it? Will they freeze up? If they do it, will they get caught? I haven't made up my mind yet... keep reading to see! I spy with my lil' eye- a blue lil' box that says 'REViEW'! So please? Please? Please?? Imagine that, I even did it without begging... well, okay, I didn't... oh well! Thanx! n.n


	7. Caught

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth, and on with the fic! Chapter... 7! Thanks to a really awesome reader o' mine, I got a good idea for this'n... you'll love it!

Chapter 7: Caught

Soon, there would be no turning back. Hermione realized this with a sudden apprehensive fear, and began to shake slightly.

"You're not cold, are you, 'mione?" Harry asked, rubbing her arm vigorously.

"N-no, no, I'm fine," Hermione tried to smile, but ended up in a weird grimace.

She pulled off her robe and tossed it to the floor, her sweater and jeans following suit, along with all of Harry's clothes. Harry kissed her neck gently, wrapping his arms around her comfortingly. She melted into his chest, and pushed away her fears, kissing him softly.

Harry turned her over and under him, kissing her passionately. She returned the kiss with both an eagerness and affection that startled and pleased Harry. He built up the courage, and finally reached around to undo the clasp of her bra. That done, he nudged the cups away with his nose and nipped at her fully-exposed breasts.

She moaned against him, her nipples erect. She stroked at the space in between his legs, and heard him gasp.

Finally, the two of them were completely naked, holding onto each other desperately. Harry, fumbling, pushed himself against Hermione, both of them kissing each other.

"Are you sure?" he asked her. "Is this what you want?"

"You're what I'll always want," Hermione replied, kissing him deeply.

Harry leaned over to the nightstand and opened the drawer, pulling out a contraceptive. He unwrapped and put it on, his hands shaking.

Hermione pulled him back to her, afraid that she might lose her nerve. She kissed him, and her fear melted away into passion and euphoria.

Harry pushed into her, slowly, so as not to hurt her too much. When the pain ebbed away, Hermione rocked her hips experimentally. Pleased with the sensations rippling through her body, she continued, building the pace a little faster.

They clung to each other, wave after wave of lust and love crashing over them. They murmured promises of love to one another, their voices getting louder and softer with the crest of their passion.

Finally, moments before Harry, Hermione began to grow very hot all over. She moaned loudly, her body pulsing with orgasms. Harry began to shake, and then fell, exhausted. He rolled off of her, and lay wrapped in her arms.

Fatigue hit them hard, and soon they were both fast asleep.

"Oh my God," Hermione heard, waking instantly. It took a moment for her eyes to become accustomed to the light that streamed through the door.

There stood Draco Malfoy in the doorway, gaping at the two of them.

Hermione sat up, forgetting for the moment that she was naked. She started to say something, but Draco stared at her licentiously, his eyes glinting. She couldn't seem to get her voice to work.

When she followed his gaze to her breasts, she reached quickly for the crimson sheet and wrapped it around herself as fast as possible. Then she shook Harry awake, who sat up, his hair even more untidy than usual. If they were not in such a horrible predicament, Hermione was sure that she might've kissed him.

"What's going on?" Harry squinted, picking up his glasses. "Who's that?"

"Draco," Hermione said, her voice barely audible.

"Malfoy?!" Harry gushed, twitching nervously.

"None other than, Potty," Draco smiled. "What a find, what a find... what fun can I have with this?"

"Just- just shut up and go away, Malfoy," Hermione spit.

"Now, now, Granger, you're in no position to tell _me_ what to do," Draco tsked. "I suggest you just shut up, and I'll think of something fun I can do with you two..."

"What are you planning on, Malfoy?" Harry asked, worry etched into his face.

"Don't worry about it, right now at least," Draco cackled. "I'll think about it tonight and let you know first thing tomorrow. Let you two stew in your own juices for a while, that's what I'll do."

He turned and walked away, leaving Harry and Hermione in a pit of despair, with no way out.

Well, that's that! Whaddya think? thanx a lot to !American Idiot! for such a wonderful suggestion! Review plzs & thnx abunchies! Hmm end this good or bad or good with bad? Only one way to find out! You gotta review, gimme some ideas that are good... :3 mraw


	8. Malfoy's Devious Plot

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth, and on with the fic! Chapter... 8! Hopefully I won't make it too depressing…

Chapter 8: Malfoy's Devious Plot

Hermione woke apprehensively the next day, fearful of what would happen to her and Harry. She rose, showered, and dressed mechanically, ignoring the pointless chatter of girls around her. She covered up the tired bags under her eyes where she had tossed and turned in fear all night with as much make up as possible.

Downstairs, she waited nervously for Harry and Ron to join her. Finally they both came down and picked up their books. Hermione stood, picking up her bags and walking silently with them to the Great Hall.

"What's wrong with the two of you this morning?" Ron asked them. He followed quietly behind them as they explained what had happened- leaving out the most intimate details.

"What do we do?" Hermione asked, her voice cracking as a tear slid silently down her cheek. "Merlin only knows what he's got planned for us."

"That's for sure. There's gonna be no easy way out of this one," Harry agreed, wiping Hermione's face with the sleeve of his robe.

They turned to enter the Great Hall, all three of them deep in thought.

"We'll think of something," Ron said hopefully. "We always manage to. Don't worry, 'mione, we'll get it figured out."

"Right," she replied, her voice listless. She looked over at Draco, who smiled at her and blew a kiss with a wink to her.

With a heavy heart, Hermione entered Charms- another class shared with Slytherins. The first thing she noticed was Pansy sobbing loudly in the corner of the room. No one seemed to be taking any notice of her, even the Slytherins. A panic flew into Hermione's chest, and she rushed over to Pansy.

"Pansy, oh Pansy, what's wrong?" she asked, pulling out a spare handkerchief and handing it to Pansy.

"Why-why do you care, Granger? I'm a pure-blood, and you're- you're a mudblood," she sniffled, taking the handkerchief cautiously.

"That doesn't matter," Hermione rolled her eyes. "I can still be nice to you."

"F-fine. It's Draco. I know you don't like him and all, but I do. I love him, and everything. We're supposed to get married the year we graduate, our parents decided that we would. Anyways," she sniffled, "he broke it off. He said that it wouldn't work, that I'm not... enough for him."

At that point, she broke off into hysterical sobs, covering her face with her hands, and ran out of the classroom.

Hermione stood and walked somberly to her desk at the front of the room. Draco came over to her almost instantly.

"I've figured out my perfect plan for you and Potty-boy," he smiled, taking her hand in his.

"Don't touch me," she hissed, pulling her hand from his. "And don't bring this up right now, we can talk later."

"No, we can't. I'm putting this plan into action, _now_."

He pulled her hair so that she was forced to turn her face to his. He kissed her lightly on the lips. She gasped and pulled back, picking up her bag and moving away quickly.

"Don't-" she huffed, practically screaming, "don't ever-ever-EVER-touch-me-again!!!"

She ran out of the classroom, following suit to Pansy, tears flowing freely down her face for the dozenth or more time that day. She knocked in to Harry, but kept running, her head down.

Harry tried to catch up to her, but she ran up to the Gryffindor tower and up into the Girl's Dormitories- a place where boys couldn't follow.

It was a place where, she hoped, she could keep out all of the pain: not only from Malfoy and his new plot, but the pain inside of herself, the pain of losing Harry, when she'd finally realized how to truly love him, and he'd loved her back...

Well, it ended up being a bit more dramatic than I thought it would end... anyways, ReViEw! I'll get the new chapter up as soon as possible, it might take a while, what with an extra lot goin' on right now... sayo! :3 mraw


	9. The Beginning of Something Dangerous

Disclaimer: Okay, I've gotten so many reviews in the past... 3 days (?)... and I'm overcome with the positive response!!! I'm so happy cries ters o' joy So I dedicate this to you, my great readers!!! AlSo, the first part of this story will be told via Potter's p.o.v. for reasons you have to read to figure out… again: Don't own, don't sue… so forth, and on with the fic! Chapter… 9!

Chapter 9: The Beginning of Something Dangerous

"_So the plan is working well?_" a shadowed face hissed through the darkness.

"_Perfectly like we planned it,_" another voice answered.

"_Good, great, FANTASTIC,_" the first voice laughed, his voice increasing as he went.

Harry was startled to see that he, himself, was the one laughing. He was the one talking to the person in front of him. He was Voldemort.

And even more surprising were the words he spoke next as his laughter subsided.

"_Soon, now, that mudblood, Granger, will be yours, Malfoy... and Potter will be so devastated, we can send in the forces and wipe him out for good!_"

Again, at this, he laughed. Malfoy, Lucius Harry presumed, began to laugh. Then the figure leaned forward, and Harry bolted upright in his bed awake.

And the face of Draco Malfoy was staring back at him with a smile.

Hermione woke to the sound of a tapping at her window. She brushed it off, but when it continued, she got out of bed to see what it was. Hedwig was flying just outside the window pecking to get in.

"Hed, what's going on?" she asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

Hedwig dropped a letter in her lap and sat on the bed, waiting for her to read it.

"What the- what is this?" she asked, unrolling the parchment.

__

Hermione, meet me in the common room downstairs immediately. This is urgent, don't bother getting dressed, come in your night clothes. Just hurry 

-Harry

Hermione threw on her robe, wondering what could be wrong. She ran downstairs, and there Harry stood, staring into the fire.

"Harry-" she started, and he turned to her quickly.

"Hermione, oh Merlin's beard," he rushed to her, holding her to him securely.

"Harry, wha-what is it?" she asked, pulling away from him, her eyes down.

"I- I had another one of those dreams. You know, the ones where I'm inside Voldemort?" he said, putting his hand under her chin.

"Yes?" Hermione said, lifting her head up, but keeping her eyes off of his face. She felt the urge to start crying again, and realized that this wouldn't be a good time to start.

"Voldemort and Draco, they're planning something, something to do with you and me," he said, trying to meet her eyes.

"Wha-what? What do we do?" she asked, alarm filling her.

"I, well, I don't know anything except to tell Dumbledore soon, like, now."

"Right, we should," Hermione nodded. She pulled away from him, and walked to the portrait hole.

Harry stood there, unable to move. Hermione could tell that all he wanted to do was hold her and comfort her, but at the moment, she didn't think she could handle it without crying. She couldn't think about how she loved him, without seeing Draco standing over them with that damned licentious smile.

In the end, neither said a word to each other, but silently, hand-in-hand, they walked out of the portrait hole to go find Dumbledore.

What will Dumbledore do to help? Can he do anything at all? I dunno, I'm drained. I realize this is a page in length but gimme a break. It's late and I can't think... I'll try to update soon though! Marching season's almost over… go us! I'z so happay… I'll be able to waste my time more on the story aNd boys… life is looking up right now… Happay sigh TtFn!


	10. Dumbledore's Plan

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic! Chapter 10! Um, I'm just coming up with this as I type it, so, wish me luck! I think I might need it!

Chapter 10: Dumbledore's Plan

At three in the morning, Hermione and Harry crept down the halls toward Dumbledore's office. Filch was nowhere in sight, but they walked as silently as possible anyway.

They reached Dumbledore's office, the gargoyle staring stonily back at them.

"_Lepidoptera_," Hermione mumbled, and the gargoyle leapt aside. Harry took her hand and lead the way up, opening the door to Dumbledore's office.

"Professor Dumbledore?" he said quietly, but loud enough for Fawkes to look at him through a sleepy eye and squawk. In a moment, Professor Dumbledore swept out of a door behind his desk. He sat, his purple and gold nightgown shimmering around him.

"I was alerted of your arrival by my gargoyle just a moment ago. Please, sit, I must hear why you would possibly be in my office at," he looked at his watch, "3:17 in the morning. Not that I mind," he added as an afterthought.

"Well, you know those dreams I have, Professor?" Harry started. He waited for Dumbledore to nod and then continued. "I- I had one tonight, and I fear for the safety of Hermione now."

"Please explain," Dumbledore said, scratching the chin of his beard.

"Well, in the dream, I was Voldemort, like always. I was talking to someone I couldn't see about Hermione, and I said- he- he said that he was going to do something to her to get to me. Right before I woke up, I saw the person's face that I was talking to... it, it was, well, Draco Malfoy."

"Well, this causes quite a predicament. Now, we will come up with a plan," Dumbledore smiled, a glint coming into this eye.

For some reason, Hermione felt that he knew this would happen all along.

"Since we've been planning for a good four hours today, and classes start in an hour, the two of you are exempt from classes for today. I will inform all of your teachers immediately. I know that you two have stayed up later than this on little excursions through the school, but this is different," Professor Dumbledore winked. "It's seven o'clock, so go, get some food, get some rest, and we'll get this plan in action."

"Yes, sir," Hermione replied, rubbing her eyes.

Harry and Hermione stood, nodding to Professor Dumbledore, and left. They went up to their separate dorms and got dressed, heading downstairs to the Great Hall.

In the Great Hall, they ate silently, Ron talking noisily with his mouth full. Finally he quieted down enough and they gave him the news. They whispered back and forth for the better part of an hour, finally getting up and parting ways. As they were walking out of the Great Hall, Draco sprinted up to Hermione and grabbed her arm.

"Ow!" she shrieked as loud as possible, so that people would look their way. He let go of her arm quickly, but spoke to her anyway.

"Listen, about yesterday-" he started.

"Save it! I don't care to hear whatever it is you have to say! I want you to stay away from me, or I'll report you to Dumbledore!" Hermione hissed.

"Good, then I can tell him what I found you and Potty-boy doing in the Room of Requirement," Draco laughed.

"Tell him, he knows and he knows what you'll try to do!" Hermione said confidently, even though it was a pure lie. "Harry and I told him in case you tried to blackmail us in anything."

"You- you didn't, you couldn't! You'd be expelled for sure!" Draco said, his jaw open.

"Because we told him straight-forwardly, he gave us a very severe punishment, but didn't expel us," Hermione nodded, turning from him. "Now if you don't mind, I have my punishment to attend. I will see you at dinner and supper tonight, and back in classes tomorrow."

She walked away, leaving Malfoy standing there in shock with no time to recover. She joined Harry out in the corridor, and they walked back up to the Gryffindor Tower.

They walked up to Harry's dorm room, and soon they were both asleep in each other's arms, holding desperately to the hopes that would keep them afloat.

The two stayed quietly in the Gryffindor Tower for the better part of the day, heeding a warning from Dumbledore to keep low. They left only at dinner and supper times, joining Ron in the Great Hall for both meals.

As they headed back upstairs from supper, they put the plan into action. Hermione, making sure that Draco saw her leave, walked to the Room of Requirement. Harry and Ron parted ways with her at the stairs, each giving her a kiss on the cheek and a hug for courage.

Shaking, extremely nervous, Hermione ducked her head low and walked to her destination.

She reached the door, and opened it, closing it quickly and locking it behind her. There sat the bed, the one she and Harry had used what seemed like a whole lifetime ago. Now, though, the covers were a deep green, velvety black pillows and sheer black curtains appeared too.

She began to prepare herself for what was to come, taking deep breaths, and praying for all her worth.

The lock of the door snapped open, and in came Draco Malfoy.

Now, she would prove herself, she would prove herself to everyone, especially that asshole Voldemort.

And he would learn that Hermione Granger is no witch to mess with.

I feel this is very anti-climactic... I don't know what else to do though! :blush: heh, well, while I'm working on it, review!!! and read... other stories... like my other stories... and stuff... well, bye!


	11. Hermione's Revenge and Draco's New Purpo...

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic! Chapter 11! yeah, so... read now...

Chapter 11: Hermione's Revenge and Draco's New Purpose

"Hermione," Draco said huskily, closing the door behind him. "Why are you here?"

"Why did you follow me?" she asked in reply, making her voice as soft as possible. She sat on the edge of the bed, running her fingers lightly over the sheets.

"The way you look, I couldn't help myself," he blushed, sitting next to her. He leaned over and kissed her, groping her almost instantly.

Hermione resisted the urge to pull away, slap, and hex him, but she sat on, kissing him back. He pushed her down onto the bed and awkwardly climbed on top of her.

She took that as the moment she'd been waiting for and reached under one of the green pillows to pull out two pairs of handcuffs.

"You little freak," Draco mumbled, amazingly still smiling. "I should've known you'd be into this kind of stuff."

"I'm sure the stuff I'm going to do is, well, _not_ what you expect," Hermione replied, laughing. She hooked one on each arm, and then each arm to opposite bedposts at the top of the bed.

She took away his wand, and pulled out hers.

"Now, for the torture," she smiled, getting off the bed. "You'll _love_ this..."

"Wha-what are you doing?" Draco asked, his eyes near to popping from shock.

"Shh," Hermione taunted, lifting her wand, "You'll ruin everything, and I want this to be _fun_."

An hour later, Hermione stepped out of the Room of Requirement; Draco followed behind her, uncharacteristically quiet. She headed up to Professor Dumbledore's office with Draco, and whispered the password to the gargoyle. It jumped aside and they went up.

Professor Dumbledore sat waiting behind his desk when they entered.

"Hello, Hermione. Everything went well?" he asked, nodding to Draco.

"Excellent," she smiled, motioning for Draco to sit down.

"Mr. Malfoy, how are you feeling?"

"Fine, sir," Draco nodded, sitting.

"Good, good," Dumbledore said, standing. "Now, Draco, do you understand what's been done to you?"

"Yes, sir," Draco nodded. "Ms. Granger is helping us to defeat Voldemort. He wanted to hurt her, and we couldn't allow that."

"No, that's quite right, we couldn't. But, you'll be a spy for us, now, won't you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Yes, sir. I'm going to make sure Voldemort thinks I've gotten Ms. Granger on our side, and not the other way around."

"That we have you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent. You may go to your dorm room, and try to act as normally as possible," Dumbledore smiled, waving his hand for Draco to leave.

"Yes, sir. Good night, sir," Draco stood, exiting quickly.

"How did you manage it, Hermione?" Dumbledore asked, smiling.

"It was a quite easy spell, although it took a while. That Draco has one hard head," she said plainly.

"Well, you know what this means now... you and Draco are both spies against Voldemort for the Order of the Phoenix. You will have to act like a couple, as hard as that will be for you," Dumbledore said. "You know, I hate to do this to a student, but there's really no other way. What was it, '_memoria contreal mendus_' as the spell you used?"

"Precisely," Hermione said, shocked that he knew. "It's the strongest one I know of. I learned it over the summer, from that book you lent me."

"It's the strongest one there _is_, and it's undetectable by any wizard or witch. No spell can show it; I'm impressed," Dumbledore paced the office, playing with his beard. "Now that we've gone this far, it will become even harder. We'll have to be ready for anything, _everything_."

"Yes, I understand. I can handle this, I know I can," Hermione nodded firmly.

"I know you can, too," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "Go on up to bed, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Grandfather," Hermione smiled, standing to leave, and walking over to Dumbledore. "And thank you."

"Goodnight, sweet dreams, sweetheart," Dumbledore smiled back, hugging his granddaughter. "I knew you could do it, Hermione, I knew you could."

"Thank you," she said, turning away to the door.

Shocking? maybe... we'll see! Review! and I'll work on the next chapter... as long as it takes me to finish it... I guess... anyways! read, review, love ya! :3


	12. Review Reviews for Chapters 1 through 11

Okay, everybody! It's now time to review the reviews! This is where I'll give you the answers to questions most frequently asked- and appraise the readers who came back to review A LOT (which, this is the first official thank you!)

so-on with it, shall we?

1st (dated from 09-09-2004):

Misswannabehero-

Thank you for being my first official reviewer! If it weren't for you, I most likely would've left the story as a one-shot! But, because you suggested I go on, I did! Thank you!!! :3

2nd (dated 09-12-2004):

Usha88-

You reviewed the first 3 Chapters after they'd just come out! And you thought they were really good! If you hadn't said something, I probably would've deleted 2 & 3- but thanks to you, it continues on! woo-hoo to you! )

3rd (dated 09-14-2004):

Tim-

I'm glad you liked the flow of the story! Hope you still like it! Thanks to you! n.n

4th (dated 09-18-2004):

Tk Macintosh-

I wrote more! I hope you enjoyed it, thanks! ;)

5th (dated 10-10-2004):

Gobletoffirelover-

It had been a while since anyone reviewed, and I was ready to scrap it! But then you read and reviewed after my 6th Chapter! Thank you!! :)

6th (dated 10-11-2004):

Funky-Princess-

I'm glad you thought it was really, really good! I hope you still do! Thank you!

7th (dated 10-12-2004):

American Idiot-

You, mein freund, were the biggest help of all! You gave me an idea with the story, when I thought I would have to give up for lack of ideas! I love you! 3 Thank you!

8th (dated 10-19-2004):

JJ-

Thank you! Yeah, I had a lot of thinking to do on that, but it's working out in the end, ne? and as for 'Out of Character' stuff... eh, couldn't be helped... moving on XD

9th (dated 10-19-2004):

Justin-4902-

Okay, what? (shifty gaze) '...' moving on...

10th (dated 10-24-2004):

Amelia Black Chancery-

Oi, I'm glad you love the story sooooo uber much... you replied... officially the most, with... 8 reviews! (Hugs) Thank you!

To Answer some of your questions...

The first song: Out of the Woods, is official property of 'Nickel Creek'... a bluegrass band... I thought it was a great song and couldn't help but use it! Maybe you can find it, now that you know, and you can listen to the prettiness!

Second: she might not do his homework, but, eh- it was necessary...

Third: the Ron questions are answered, but still, I have to comment... Ron and Harry? eh, this isn't yaoi, I promise... never...

Fourth: The 'kinky' wasn't meant bad... I really didn't mean it bad... and I didn't change the rating until... some chapter... so, at first it was innocent... yeah

Fifth: uhm, yeah... nice Spanish skills... I personally took another language...

Sixth: yes, Snape is a bit, but... we knew that already... he's Vodemort's bit.. in the 'kinky' way... moving on!

Seventh: yes, that note from Draco was a song... it's Audioslave's 'Highway'... I think... next!

Eigth: Deep, deep breath, please... (backs away slowly)

(sigh) that's all for you! You are by far the most dedicated... and the scariest... reader I have... O.o

this is a combined review-review...

9th:

GlassRose (dated 10-25-2004), Orangeboogaloo (dated 11-06-2004), Skye (dated 11-09-2004), and sexywitch (dated 11-11-2004)-

This is NOT, I repeat, NOT a h/dm story... I hate Draco Malfoy, he's villainous! I've made him villainous and disgusting... and Hermione and Dumbledore's little bit to use against Voldemort... but they WILL NOT get together... end of story... (grimace) : Thanks, though, for reviewing...

10th (dated 10-25-2004):

ADepressedSpooty-

First, just let me say: You are my mentor! I love you, Spootz! Okay, now to your questions and comments! Your alliterations are cute... I thought about putting it as the comments for the story, but decided against it... because other people might not understand... anyways... continuing... Tennyo is your cousin, the one who told me about you in the first place, how do you not remember her?... that's weird! she doesn't have a username, but for a while I hosted her story 'The Trick'... no one reviewed, so she asked me to delete it from my list... and I did...

your second review: The spell was a mind-control-type spell, I guess...It's going to be used to make Draco be a spy against Voldemort for Dumbledore... nifty, yes? Oi, the Hermione/Dumbledore grand-relatives thing... that'll be explained... I think (is still plotting next chapter) If not, I'll IM you or something... : sorry for the confusion... Thank you!

11th (dated 10-26-2004):

Magicpens-

I'm glad you liked it! your Yahoo group is nice, I might join if that's alright with you! Thanks for the review! :P

12th (dated 10-27-2004):

MB-

Thank you for liking it! I like Harry/Hermione fics, too! And, yeah, some of my Chapters are short... sorry 'bout that... I just write as much as possible, then have to move on! and yeah, for a while 9 and 10 were the same, but that's fixed now... well, thanks again! Read and review again soon! X.x

13th (dated 10-27-2004):

Parcheezie-

Thanks! I'll keep going as long as people like you keep reviewing! Thank you again! H.H No matter how tired I am. I try to get _something_ out, I'm like the mail-person! I keep going!

14th (dated 10-27-2004):

Friends yet Enemies-

Thank you! Yes Ron looked kinda 7-ish, I've got no defense against that, but it couldn't be helped I guess... U.U Glad you liked it though! Thank you!

15th (dated 10-31-2004):

BeaumontRulz-

Glad you liked it! Hope you had a great Halloween! Thank you and review again! 0:

16th (dated 11-01-2004):

Jam!!!-

Glad you loved it! Read and review again soon! Thank you -P

17th (dated 11-01-2004):

Hari-

Yeah, I don't know how to leave Voldemort out of a HP fanfic... guess it's just my coney. Glad you liked the story though... Review again and thanks! -.- 

18th (dated 11-01-2004):

NightDreamer13-

Yeah, it was quite a challenge to come up with something for that predicament, but I finally found out how! yay, me! nn

19th (dated 11-01-2004):

forbiddenlight-

Yeah, me with my cliffhangers... I can't help myself with them! they're so... dramatic to me! anyways, I live to serve the fans, so I might eventually incorporate your idea into the story somewhere soon... just look for it I guess... Thank you! Y.Y (tears o' joy for the great review/idea)

20th (dated 11-02-2004):

Ashlee-

Glad you like it! Review again soon! Thank you! v.v (so unworthy of everyone's happiness!)

21st (dated 11-04-2004):

kagome8522002-

Thank you! I'll keep it going as long as I can! Review again soon!

22nd (dated 11-04-2004):

Lonrem-

You best be glad you're my friend, Lon! Thanks, though, for the compliments you gave! I try, I promise... XP thanks again! Review again!

23rd (dated 11-05-2004):

Blue-Willow22:

Glad you think it's good! review again soon! thank you! :-3

24th (dated 11-06-2004):

Katie-963-

Glad you love it! Read and review again soon! Thanks abunchies! .

25th (dated 11-06-2004):

myman-harry526-

Glad you like the story! What are you weirded out about exactly? I'll try to help you if you lemme know... ?.?

26th (dated 11-06-2004):

Michelle-

Glad you liked it! I hope you like the rest of the story! review again soon! Thank you! k.k

Well, that's it... that's all... whew... My head hurts, my neck hurts... and I'm ready for bed... I haven't typed that much in a while... nor have I stayed up this late to do it... (looks at clock) it's only 3 am... 3 AM?!? gyah, I'm heading to bed now!

Thanks again to everyone for everything! I love you guys a lot and am thankful for all of you helping me out! 'Night, y'all!


	13. The Great Disaster

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic! Chapter 12! I've finally been ungrounded, and had time to finish the chapter!!! Whee!!!

Chapter 12: The Great Disaster

Yes, it was very hard for Hermione Granger to walk hand-in-hand with the once-arrogant, extremely prudish, Draco Malfoy down the halls of Hogwarts. People stared oddly, making faces at Hermione when Draco was glancing the other way. The Slytherins seemed oddly calm about it all, except for Pansy, who kept bursting into tears and running in the opposite direction when she saw them together.

'Well, it at least must be working,' Hermione thought. 'All of the Slytherins seem composed about everything. They must all know Voldemort's plan, at the very least.'

She walked as though vacant-eyed, like she thought nothing was going on, nothing wrong in the world at all. Draco walked pompously to keep up the image of control over her.

Then, just as had been planned, Harry appeared, crying and looking furious.

"Hermione, what are you doing with this git?" he cried, pulling her away from Malfoy.

Pretending to be under the spell, she replied raucously, "Potter, I have _no idea _what you could _possibly_ be talking about. Please move, you _are_ in my way, and I'd _hate_ to get your slime on me by _pushing_ you away."

"Hermione, you're not acting like yourself, can't you see that?" Harry blubbered, his mouth open wide in shock.

"All I see is whiny little Potty-boy standing in my way," Hermione growled, walking around him. She joined Draco on the other side of Harry, who had been standing silently for some time. As she reached him, they turned and kept walking, leaving the half-crying, half-sniggering Harry behind.

That night in the common room, Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Draco sat by the fire, planning out their next moves.

"We could bring Crabbe and Goyle over," Ron shrugged, rubbing his tired eyes. "That would make things a little easier."

"And maybe Pansy," Hermione winced. "I swear, all I heard all day was her crying in the back of our classes, it was heartbreaking. She thinks this is all real, remember?"

Harry and Draco nodded in agreement.

"But, do we need to ask Dumbledore about this? I mean, we could be risking a lot," Harry added.

"We _are_ risking a lot, we're already in deep," Draco replied. "Voldemort's very powerful, but I know we can beat him, if we just get enough people from _his_ side, to ours- not just people who are undecided."

"That's true," said Ron. "But, we can't take too many people. V-V-Voldemort," he stuttered, "he'll notice something eventually."

"Yes," Hermione nodded, "but, that's something we've already risked by taking Draco, here. Besides, Gra- Professor Dumbledore must've wanted us to do _something_. Why else do you think he has _us_ doing this and not just doing it himself? It's not exactly his style to let someone else in on his ideas, unless they're supposed to help him in some way."

"So, do we ask or just do it?" Harry shrugged undecidedly, sitting back in his squashy chair.

"Just do it," Draco nodded. "Look, it's late. I've got to get back to my common room, somehow. So, I'd better leave now..."

"Oh," Ron said. "We can help you with that."

Soon, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Draco were sneaking down the hallway, stuffed uncomfortably close under the invisibility cloak, glancing every once in a while at the Marauder's Map Harry held.

They made it to the Slytherin portrait hole (a rather snooty looking, black-haired man who sat primly, and snored loudly) without incident. This being the first time the trio had ever seen the portrait hole, they gawked at it as Draco hissed "_parseltongue_". The portrait swung forward with a loud grunt, and Draco bade them goodnight.

" 'night," the others replied, Draco slipping out from under the cloak and into the common room.

The others turned around immediately and started the trek back across the school to their common room. Harry, forgetting the map in his hand, headed down a seemingly deserted hallway, only to run head-first into Professor Snape.

Immediately, there was a frenzied rush, as the three pushed themselves against the wall and Snape bellowed, pulling out his wand.

"Show yourself, whoever you are, or deal with Severus Snape," he hissed in a whisper.

"Ooh, I'm so scared," Ron mumbled, suppressing a fit of giggles. Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs as Snape looked toward the very spot where they stood, crouched against the wall.

"I bet this has something to do with Potter," Snape snarled. "Best go inform Professor McGonagall..."

He rushed away quickly. Harry, Ron, and Hermione hurried to their common room, and up the stairs to their separate dorms.

They were no more in bed for a few seconds when McGonagall entered, followed closely by Snape.

"Harry," she said sternly, shaking him. "Harry, wake up."

Harry pretended to drowsily wake up, and rub his eyes, putting his glasses on.

"Professor?" he yawned.

"Harry, were you roaming the halls at any point in time tonight?"

"N-no, Professor McGonagall," Harry shrugged, seeing Snape glare viciously.

"I _know_ it was you, Potter," he whispered barely, staring down at him intensely. "I _know_ it was you... _secretus revealus_!"

He pointed his wand at Harry, and all of a sudden Harry's mind went blank, all concentration put into lying, lost. He could feel another presence in the corner of his mind, but couldn't focus... couldn't see...

"Really, Professor!" McGonagall said, shocked. "That is totally unnecessary! Never have I ever, in my career, had a teacher act so vehemently toward any student- "

"Listen, Minerva, I am _sick and tired_ of Potter, here, getting away with things that most students would be expelled for. I intend to prove, once and for all, that Potter's no good!" Snape spit.

All at once, before Harry could fight it, he realized who it was that was listening to the conversation through his mind.

"Vol-" he tried to say, but it was too late. Professor Snape asked a question and Harry could do nothing to stop himself from answering.

"Were you roaming the hallways tonight, Potter?"

"Yes."

"Why would you do such a thing? In the middle of the night?"

"Draco... Draco was with us in our common room... we were talking about our plan to overthrow Voldemort, and it got late... we took him to his common room, and were walking back... when we bumped into you."

"The invisibility cloak no doubt... what do you mean, 'plan to overthrow' He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"We found out Hermione was in danger, and we told Professor Dumbledore... he came up with a plan to get Draco on our side... which we did... and then we were planning on getting other people..."

But there was where Harry stopped, and emitted a laugh not his own. It was Voldemort's, and it was high-pitched and cold, unmerciful.

"Potter," it rumbled, still laughing, "Potter, wonderful! So you thought you could stop us, stop me? FOOL! YOU CANNOT STOP VOLDEMORT! YOU WILL DIE!!!"

Then Harry collapsed, the airy feeling in his mind went away, and a sudden rush of what happened hit him like a train. And now he was so exhausted he couldn't move. But…

Voldemort knew! Professor Snape had opened his mind, somehow linking him directly to Voldemort- and then he had spilled forth all of their plans!

The Professors stood, shocked at all they had seen and heard. Then, looking sideways at each other, they acted immediately. Picking up Harry from the bed, Snape took Harry straight out of the boys' dorm, McGonagall right behind them.

They were going straight to Professor Dumbledore. Surely he knew how to rectify Snape's terrible mistake.

At least... they hoped.

Wow! what do we do now? I dunno! I'm so lost on what to do now! I've backed myself into the proverbial corner o' life… okay, well, writer's block! Eek! Please, review... please, gimme ideas if you can think of any to help meh!!! I'll luffles you forever!!! -- Lon, can YOU help me? I'm sure you've got some great ideas brewing... I'll marry you and luffles you for ever and ever and ever… not that I'm begging or anything… anyways! ReVieW! I'll try to get the next chapter up, as soon as I get something together!


	14. The Hiding Place

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic! Chapter 13! It didn't take me as long to come up with another idea that stuck me into a corner… Also, a certain description in this story belongs to V.C. Andrews, from the 'Flowers in the Attic' series. It is a very beautiful description of a setting that I thought would be perfect for the story, although I do not describe it the same, word-for-word... so I don't own that either...

Chapter 13: The Hiding Place

Days later, Hermione sat in the Gryffindors' common room with Ron and Draco. They still hadn't heard anything from Harry, who had been sent into hiding by Professor Dumbledore. They were next, but they would be put somewhere else, separated from everyone but Dumbledore.

"I wonder where we'll be put," Ron sighed, leafing through his Potions book. "And why am I still doing this crap? Once we're in hiding, none of this will matter..."

He slammed his book closed, and stared off into the fire.

"I just hope we're not found in hiding," Draco whispered loudly. "My father was informed by Voldemort about what had happened... he was furious, and I'm afraid that if _he_ finds me, he'll kill me."

"Or change you back to the way you were," Hermione said absently. She was waiting for Hedwig, glancing out the window for the snowy white owl, and wondering what could be taking her so long. "But that's not what we need to be focusing on. We need to figure out what we're going to do once we're all in hiding. We can't just sit and wait to hear news from Dumbledore everyday."

"Harry has to, why wouldn't we?" Ron asked, scratching his shaggy red head. "I mean, what could we possibly do?"

"Plan," Hermione said straight-forwardly.

"Yeah, fat lot of good that does us all. Look what's happening now because of our last episode of planning," Ron spat, standing up. "I'm going to bed, I'm wiped."

"I'll be up in a few minutes," Draco said, having taken up residence in the Gryffindors' boys dorms, since his discovery by the Slytherins.

"Right," Ron said, throwing his book into his bag and heading upstairs.

Hermione and Draco sat in silence before Draco broke it by replying to Hermione's earlier request.

"What do you propose we do? I mean, Ron's right: there's not a whole lot we can do."

"We can do lots... take our Defense Against the Dark Arts book, and keep practicing, learn new spells, perfect old ones," Hermione listed off.

"Yeah, I've got some advanced copies of defense books. We could do a replica spell and each have a copy, and send one to Harry," Draco nodded emphatically.

"That's a great idea!" Hermione squealed, seeing the first ray of hope for help since the beginning of all of this new disaster.

They sat talking about it for a while longer before heading up their separate stairs to their dorms. Before Hermione reached the top, she heard Draco calling to her from the bottom, beckoning for her to hurry.

"What is it?" she huffed, reaching the common room in a flash.

"Ron, he's gone. They took him to his hideout," Draco gasped out. "His stuff's gone, and all of his covers and hangings have been taken off of his bed."

"Oh..." Hermione sat abruptly, the air gone from her lungs. She repeated herself, this time with a much softer "Oh".

"We're next," Draco said with a grimace, "we'll be next..."

He faded out, although he was still talking just as shocked. But the more Hermione tried to concentrate, the more disoriented she became, until all that was left was a gentle dream to keep her worried mind happy.

Hermione woke abruptly, sunshine pouring onto her face from the tower window. She sat up and realized that she had been put onto the couch and wrapped in a blanket.

"Oops," she yawned tiredly, standing up and stretching.

She stumbled drowsily to the bathroom in her dorm room. She showered and dressed automatically, pulling her hair back in a high, sleek ponytail.

As she stepped out of the bathroom, she realized someone was watching her.

"Who-" she asked, whirling around to see Professor Dumbledore standing by her bed.

"Hermione," he said softly, his eyes shining.

"Grandfather, I'm late for classes, I'm sorry-" she started, but was interrupted by a wave of his hand.

"It is time," he smiled sadly. "We must take you into hiding. Take only what you need."

"What do I need?" she asked calmly, her heart pounding.

"Clothes, maybe only a couple of robes and night clothes. Books, any ones you want to bring. Your wand. That is all."

"Yes, sir," she replied solemnly. "I'll be done in five minutes only."

"Hermione," Dumbledore started, "you are my granddaughter, my muggle daughter's only child. My wife has long ago died, and you are the only other magical being in my great family. I could not bear to lose you, you know this. I am sorry that I have to send you away, you know this as well. And, as always, dear Granddaughter, I love you."

Hermione was crying, freely letting her heart break into tiny shards before this great wizard. She collapsed into his thin arms, and held tightly to his old, withered body. She knew that he was dying, that even with magic, he could not be saved. And she knew that one more fight with Voldemort would be the end of this beloved man. All of his energy would be spent to help heal the world of Voldemort's evil and pain. And it would be little to no good. She knew this, and wept brokenly.

"Grandfather, let me stay with you until the end," she cried. "Please, let me be beside you, let me hold your hand as you die, and let me say my farewell in peace and love. Please."

"Hermione, I would love nothing more, but you cannot be with me. You cannot see me again until after I am dead."

"Then I will make my peace with you at that time. I pray that you will be able to hear me, Grandfather," she sobbed, releasing her grip on his frail body.

"I do as well," he said, tears of his own streaming down his worn face. "I do as well..."

Hermione gasped at the sight before her.

A bed, more beautiful than any she'd ever seen.

A swan bed. It had a sleek ivory head, turned in profile, and appeared ready to plunge its head under the ruffled underside of a lifted wing. The swan had one sleepy red ruby eye. Its wings curved gently to cup the head on an almost oval bed. The architect had designed the wingtip feathers to act as fingers to hold back delicate transparent draperies that were all shades of pink, gold, and red.

"You will be here for a very long time," Dumbledore sighed behind Hermione, reminding her to look around the rest of the room.

The floor had thick pink carpet, a vanity table of marble etched with gold. A doorway lead off to what she presumed would be the bathroom. The windows were heavily curtained with reds and maroons and pinks of varying shades. She smiled.

"Grandfather," she said, turning to him, "this is just a regular room. I don't know where I am or anything, but it doesn't seem that I'm hiding... just staying in a regular room, with regular privileges... this isn't so bad!"

"That's where you're wrong, Hermione," Dumbledore said sadly. "You see, this room is all you can see for quite a while. You cannot leave this room, and you cannot open those curtains to the windows, except at night. Sometimes, I will not be able to bring you food for days. You can make no noises ever. You must always be completely silent, unless I am with you. The toilet cannot be flushed but once a day, and only at night. You can bathe only at night, and only with cold water. The winters are deathly cold, and no extra blankets can be brought to you."

"Grandfather," Hermione interrupted, "you don't expect me to be here for that long, do you? Winter is months more away!"

"Yes, Hermione, it is. Please, let me continue."

"Yes, sir," she sighed, suddenly seeing this beautiful room as a very horrible prison.

"On Thursdays, maids come in here to clean. They _cannot_ see you, no matter what. There is a set of stairs in the back of the closet in your bathroom that leads into an attic where you must hide quietly until they are done. You must keep this room as though no one,_ no one_, lives in here. Do you understand?" he nodded, completing the large list of rules.

"Yes, sir," she replied forlornly.

"But, there is a bit of happiness for you," Dumbledore added as an afterthought. "Harry is staying in this wing of the house as well, and on Thursdays must join you in the attic. But I want nothing to happen, am I clear?" (Hermione nodded silently) "I am trusting that the two of you will act responsibly. And neither one of you can enter the other's room. I fixed that myself."

"Of course," Hermione nodded, feeling a little hope return to this dreary hide-away. "What about Ron and Draco?"

"They are staying in another wing of the house, and have a different set of rules to follow. But, Hermione, remember, you are only allowed to enter the attic on Thursdays, every other day, that door will be locked, as well as this door. You will be here for quite a while, so I suggest if you ever need a book, or want something new to do, you ask me when I'm here to bring you food. I will be back day after tomorrow with more food."

He handed her a large bundle of food.

"Make that last as long as possible," he nodded before turning to leave. "I will have you out of here as soon as possible, I promise."

"Right, Grandfather," Hermione nodded again, setting the food down on the vanity table top. "I love you."

"I love you," Dumbledore replied tiredly. He walked through the double doors, and shut them. A moment later, Hermione heard the lock of the door snap.

It sounded like a gunshot, a sound that ripped through her very being.

eep! Now what? Eh, I hope Lon can think of something! Oi, I'm drained, that took some serious thought... I'm now very very very tired, and am trying to think of the next thing to write/type... screw it, I'm going to bed... Review, pleases? :3 thanks!


	15. Fighting in the Attic

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic! Chapter... 14? eh, whatever. I'll type that in right later... Okay, well, it was right, if I looked at it correctly so no changes need be made! Read on!

Chapter 14: Fighting in the Attic

Hermione sat, staring at the ceiling as her stomach let out a long, low growl. It had been ten days since Professor Dumbledore had been able to bring her the last basket of food. All that was left of the basket was a small, slightly molding peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She knew that as hungry as she was, she wouldn't eat it, even if it meant starving to death: which she _knew_ her grandfather would never let happen.

Another hunger pang hit her, and she sat up on her bed and then slowly stood up.

She walked into the bathroom and tried the door, to see if it was unlocked. It snapped open and she smiled to herself. She had been in this house for three months she guessed, but with no calendar it was hard to tell how much time had passed. The only time she ever really had a grasp on the days were the days the door in the bathroom open, or whenever her grandfather came in the middle of a week to bring her food.

Turning to fix the room as though she'd never been there, Hermione caught her reflection in the large gilded mirror of the bathroom. She had grown thin, even though she usually ate everyday; all that she was given, though, were the small peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and a clean, cold thermos, in which she could put water. This was only a fourth of what she was used to at Hogwarts and even at home.

Her usually deep, sparkling brown eyes appeared larger, more dull, and hollow. Her skin was wan, the usual gentle tan she had gone with her lack of sunlight.

She looked away quickly, flicking her tears away. She held up her wand and mumbled a hoarse, "Repairo" at her room. The lack of using her voice made it rough, broken, but by now she was used to the scratchy sounds it made.

She walked up the small staircase to the closet, picking up a bundle of extra robes she left for Thursdays. They were dusty from the stairs, and the layer of dust that blanketed everything in the attic. She pulled them on over her now much-tighter nightgown and stepped into the attic, barefoot and sweeping up dust.

Harry laid under an open window, sunlight bathing his also much thinner, paler body.

"Hermione," he mumbled, his own voice scratchy from disuse, when he heard her stepping tentatively toward him. "Hermione, come and join me. The sun's nice today."

"It was raining last week, I think," Hermione replied, sighing heavily as she sat, and then lay beside him. "I- I don't really remember anymore, from week-to-week."

She laid her arm gently over his chest, and he kissed her softly, chastely on the cheek, and they both smiled.

"We'll be out of here tomorrow."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears at his utterance. He had said this every week since the beginning of being in hiding, and every week it never happened. It was starting to break her heart to hear him say it.

"Please, please don't say that anymore. Let's just be miserable without being reminded?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, looking at her through the corner of his eye.

"I mean, hearing you say that... it, well it _hurts_ because we know that's not going to happen. Not anytime soon. We know that... so please don't?"

Harry sat up, and with him, Hermione.

"How can you say that? The hope of getting out is the _only_ hope we have! Without that, what do we live for?"

"Anything, everything, _something_ other than just this- this getting out that will never happen! We've been here so long, _I_ don't even know how long it's been. We've lost so much weight, and we weren't all that big to begin with! We've both lost all of the tan we ever had! We've been wasting away like flowers without sunshine! I mean, we're hoping for the one thing we need, but we can't have it!"

"Which is exactly why we must have _hope_, Hermione!" Harry said simply, holding out his arms in a way that suggested he were begging for her to understand why they needed it.

"Hope has brought us nothing but _pain_. You and I both know that the only way Voldemort will ever go away is if _you_ kill him! No one else can do it, not even Professor Dumbledore! He'll die to keep us safe and it will do no good, because _you_ are the _only one_ that can kill him! _I_ hope that we'll get out of here, but I won't lie about it: we're going nowhere fast, and being reminded of it is the biggest hurt of all!"

"Hermione, please..."

"No! Stop with all of the futile attempts at making me, or us, feel better! It won't work anymore! All I want is to get out of here, but until that happens, I don't want to hear anymore about it! _Anymore, do you hear ME_?!"

She walked away from the broken Harry, tears streaming down her dusty face. She couldn't go back into her room yet, but she certainly couldn't stay with Harry. Where to go, what to do? They had already, long ago in their first month, explored every nook and cranny of the attic. The old clothes and musty armoires held no magic for her now. _Now_ she just wanted _out_.

In the end, she just went back to the staircase and waited until she knew that the maid would be gone from their wing. Then she went back into her room, and closed the door behind her, the lock snapping with an echo.

She saw the basket of food left on her bed from her grandfather, and instead of feeling happy for possibly not starving, her tears flowed more freely, and she felt more alone than ever.

She was ever deeper in the woods of despair.

So... the end for now. Can anything help Hermione and the others now? Eh, I dunno yet... the cryptic talk is hurting my brain, and I've got some beta and editing to do for another author... you might know her as the Bookworym? She's doing my 'The Seventh Year' story, along with Lonrem, and another story, that I've promised to beta and edit for her... so, check them out, yesh? Alright, well, g'bye! Review, pleases? Thanx!


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